Orakei House

Orakei House is a three-storey family residence set into a sloping coastal site in Ōrākei, designed to draw the harbour view deep into the everyday rituals of the household. Living spaces are layered toward the water, each level stepping back to form generous terraces, while a timber-battened screen wraps the upper floors for privacy and dappled light.

The material palette is deliberately quiet — handmade brick, dark steel and cedar — allowing the section and the landscape to carry the architecture. Internally, a central stair acts as a light shaft, pulling northern sun down into the lower living level and the pool terrace beyond.

The project moved from concept design through resource and building consent without a single request for further information, a result of early engagement with council and a tightly coordinated documentation set prepared by Edition's in-house consenting team.